Endurance Cup to Stage 1000km Race in Saudi Arabia

The Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup will stage its first race outside of Europe next year when Jeddah joins the five-round schedule.

Announced during SRO Motorsports Group’s annual press conference at Spa-Francorchamps, the Jeddah Corniche street circuit that hosts the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will hold a 1000km season-ending race on the weekend of Nov. 22-23.

The Endurance Cup has been focused on key motorsport markets in Europe for over a decade and the announcement to hold a race further afield marks a significant shift in its reach.

Several other changes have been made to the schedule, with Paul Ricard replacing Monza as the season-opener and the Italian circuit moving to a mid-September date.

This is because Monza will be undergoing improvement works next spring, and is the same reason why the FIA World Endurance Championship is not going there in 2024.

Paul Ricard will move back to being a three-hour race, having held the 1000km title since 2015.

The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, which is also part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli, will mark the second round of the Endurance Cup season on June 27-30.

It will be followed by a second consecutive visit to the Nürburgring in July, followed by Monza in September and the Jeddah season-finale.

“It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce our plans to compete in Saudi Arabia beginning in 2024,” said SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel.

“Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS has already reached four continents, but we were missing something in the Middle East.

“By taking our two most successful series we will ensure the strongest possible start to what we anticipate being a long and fruitful partnership.

“I want to offer my personal thanks to HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al-Faisal for his commitment to this project and for joining us today at Spa-Francorchamps.

“Thanks must also go to HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, the Saudi minister of sports, who enjoyed success with us for many years competing in the Blancpain GT Series.”

In addition to staging the Endurance Cup season finale, the Jeddah event will include the final round of the GT4 European Series powered by Rafa Racing Club.

“It is a privilege to partner with SRO Motorsports Group and thank them for their hard work and dedication in making this exciting venture happen,” said HRH Prince Khalid Bin SUltan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of Saudi Motorsport Company and Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation.

“The arrival of two more exhilarating racing series of global stature in Saudi Arabia from 2024 onwards further confirms the extent of the Kingdom’s transformation into the new home of motorsport in the region.

“In doing so, we continue to accelerate the rate of progress we are seeing as a result of hosting such major events. We look forward to working with SRO Motorsports and continuing to provide more opportunities to enrich the lives of all our residents.”

SRO also announced the GTWC Europe Sprint Cup calendar on Friday, with Barcelona joining the championship after being shuffled out of the Endurance Cup schedule.

Brands Hatch will open the season as part of an extended deal through 2025, with Misano marking the second round.

Hockenheim, which held an Endurance Cup fixture last season, is the third event on the Sprint calendar, while Magny-Cours returns after one season away.

Barcelona will wrap up the campaign in mid-October, leaving Jeddah as the finale for both the Endurance Cup and the overall GTWC Europe structure.

Zandvoort and Valencia will not return to Sprint Cup, ending five and three-year stints in the series respectively.

2024 GTWC Europe Endurance Cup Schedule:
March 5-6- Prologue Test (Paul Ricard)
April 6-7 – Paul Ricard
May 21-22 – Prologue Test (Spa-Francorchamps)
June 27-30 – CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
July 27-28 – Nürburgring
Sep. 21-22 – Monza
Nov. 22-23 – Jeddah

2024 GTWC Europe Sprint Cup Schedule:
May 4-5 – Brands Hatch
May 18-19 – Misano
July 20-21 – Hockenheim
Aug. 24-25 – Magny-Cours
Oct. 12-13 – Barcelona